Moon Phases — January 2026
Full Moon on January 3 at 07:13 UTC, New Moon on January 18 at 20:16 UTC. Each cell shows that day's phase and illumination.
January 2026 · phase for each day (UTC)
Best Nights in January
✦Darkest skies
Jan 16 – Jan 20
Around the New Moon (Jan 18), little moonlight — the best nights for the Milky Way, meteors and faint deep-sky objects.
◐Sharpest Moon detail
Jan 10 · Jan 26
At the quarter Moons the terminator throws long shadows across crater rims — the best nights to photograph lunar surface detail.
○Brightest nights
Jan 2 – Jan 4
Around the Wolf Moon (Jan 3), strong natural moonlight for night walks — but it washes out fainter stars.
Moonrise & moonset where you are
See tonight's moonrise, moonset and best viewing time for your location — then plan the rest of the month from the grid above.